Seneca Valley School District Says Rumor Of Threat On Social Media 'Non-Credible'

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Seneca Valley School District says its campuses are safe after rumors of a threat circulated on social media.

Officials say the potential threat at Ryan Gloyer Middle School was found to be "non-credible" after a police investigation. All students and staff are safe.

Parents said a lack of communication and two recent suicides in the district have them concerned.

Several parents pulled their children from school on Thursday after the social media threat caused panic for some at Ryan Gloyer Middle School and the nearby intermediate and high schools. Jackson Township police said about 3,500 people are on the campus on any given day.

"Kids that were being picked up with their face red and their eyes red, crying because they were scared," Yvonne Ibarra said about when she went to pick up her children.

"I don't want to hear from my kid. ... I wish the school would have told me," Rebeka Kramer said.

According to the district, all the rumors were false. Jackson Township Police investigated.

"There is absolutely no safety issue at that campus," Chief Terry Seilhamer said.

He said the rumors started over the weeks, and his department started to investigate. As they interviewed people, they found no credibility to the threats.

"It seems like the rumors are replicating and getting embellished on social media," Seilhamer said.

The Seneca Valley School District Provided this statement:

"We are aware that discussions are taking place across social media platforms (parents on Facebook, students on Snapchat) regarding a threat on our secondary campus, grades 7-12.

"Please know our students and staff are safe. The police have investigated these reports and have found them to be non-credible. Normally, we would not address such rumors. However, due to the wide sharing of misinformation, we felt it important to address it at this time.

"We also want to reiterate that rumors and innuendos shared on social media only exacerbate situations in the District. If you believe you have pertinent information that will help the administration or police regarding rumored threats, please contact us or the police directly.

"To be clear, we are not saying parents should not be discussing their concerns among each other or with their children. We are asking for help in controlling the spread of "I heard" information on social media that further causes panic or paints the wrong picture.

"Thank you for your cooperation."

Parents said Thursday was the first day they learned about the rumors.

"It's alarming that I got a text message from my daughter telling me, 'Mom, I was told by another student that one of the kids at the school has a gun,'" Ibarra said.

Police will have extra security on the campus all week. They gave this recommendation to the district.

"We have suggested to them that they, perhaps, the school board would consider going virtual," Seilhamer said.

Investigators said the threats are local, but police are still working on the exact source. They are working with the Butler County District Attorney's Office about possible charges.

KDKA reached out to the district and school board president for an interview, but they were not available. The school board canceled its meeting in light of everything that has happened.

Seneca Valley Superintendent Dr. Tracy Vitale said that the district believes the threats were part of one's sent across the state.

The Pennsylvania Department of Education sent out this statement:

"The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) and the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) are aware of numerous messages circulating on social media, primarily TikTok, regarding school shootings and bomb threats to schools across the nation for tomorrow, December 17.

"These social media posts warn of threats but are not specific to Pennsylvania and do not contain specific threats, schools, actors, or locations. 
However, law enforcement and school officials should, as always, remain vigilant and report any suspicious behavior to Safe2Say at (844) 723-2729, or info@safe2saypa.org, or online at www.safe2saypa.org. In the event of an emergency, please call 911.

"PDE and PSP encourages schools to share this message with their staff, parents, and students to spread awareness of these social media posts and to remind the community to be aware of and report any suspicious activity or threats."